Impatiens plant named Improved Samoa

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea impatiens named Improved Samoa, particularly characterized by compact growth habit with excellent branching characteristics, very large white flowers with a pink blush, early flowering and very floriferous habits, medium green foliage, and suitability to 4 inch and 6 inch pots, and 8 inch hanging basket cultures.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of plant known as Impatiens and commercially known as New Guinea impatiens. The new cultivar is known by the cultivar name Improved Samoa, and was developed by the inventor Ludwig Kientzler in Gensingen, Federal Republic of Germany by crossing the cultivar Samoa (seed parent) with the cultivar IP 222 (pollen parent). Samoa is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,422, and the pollen parent is a proprietary cultivar used in the breeding program.

Asexual reproduction by terminal (stem tip) cuttings taken by me or under my supervision at Gensingen, Federal Republic of Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new impatiens are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new impatiens from both its parent varieties and other cultivars of this general type known and used in the floriculture industry:

1. Compact growth habit with excellent branching characteristics. Plants in 16.5 cm pots were 20 cm tall and 40 cm wide, eight weeks after first flowering.

2. Large, white flowers with a pink blush. Open flowers measure up to 7 cm in diameter.

3. Early flowering and very floriferous. Plants in 16.5 cm pots were in flower 6 weeks after planting.

4. Medium green foliage.

5. Well suited both to 4" pot and 6" pot, and 8" hanging basket cultures.

Improved Samoa is similar in many respects to Samoa, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,422. The flower color of Improved Samoa is white with a pink blush, similar in color to Samoa. The leaf color of Improved Samoa is similar to Samoa. Improved Samoa has a more compact growth habit, has larger flowers and blooms earlier than Samoa. Reference is made to Chart A at the end of the specification which compares certain characteristics of Samoa and Improved Samoa.

The accompanying colored photograph is a top perspective view of the new cultivar, showing color as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new impatiens cultivar based on plants grown under commercial practice in Encinitas, Calif. Plants were started as rooted cuttings and were transplanted in mid-November into 16.5 cm (6.5 inch) pots, one pot per plant. By mid-January, plants were growing vigorously and were in flower. The values, measurements and observations noted below were taken from plants in full bloom in mid-February.

Color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS), except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage: Cross between Samoa (seed) and IP 222 (pollen).

Asexual reproduction:

A. Cutting type.--Tip, with stems 2-3 cm long and developing to 4-5 cm after 21 days in propagation.

B. Time to initiate roots.--8-10 days at 23° C.; nicely developed root mass in 18-21 days.

C. Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous, adventitious roots from the stem.

Plant description:

A. Form.--Symmetrical, bush shaped, flowering herb, with self-branching characteristics giving the plant a full appearance. Pinching is not recommended since it does not enhance branching and only delays flowering by removing flower buds.

B. Habit of growth.--Vigorous, self-branching habit, producing whorls of leaves and flowers. Growth is indeterminate and flowering is continuous.

C. Foliage description.--Leaves are simple. Lower leaves on stems in whorls of 3-4. Higher on stem, leaves in whorls of predominately 5. 1. Leaf shape: Broadly elliptic to ovate. Leaf blade tips are acuminate; bases of immature leaves are acute, mature leaves, attenuate. 2. Leaf blade size: Mature leaves 11-12 cm long and 4.5 cm wide. 3. Petiole length: 2-3 cm. 4. Leaf Margin: Ciliated and finely serrated. 5. Leaf texture: Slightly rugose. a. Upper surface: Glabrous. b. Under surface: Glabrous. 6. Leaf color: Medium green with a reddish midvein. a. Upper surface: Immature leaves near 147A, mature leaves darker than 147A. b. Under surface: Greyed green, near 191A. Leaf veins are red. 7. Venation: Pinnate.

Flowering description:

A. Flowering habits.--Very floriferous. Flowering is continuous. Flowers develop progressively around the whorl of leaves, taking 5-7 days from buds which show color, to bloom. Flowers are single and large, lasting for 2-3 weeks.

B. Natural flowering season.--Flowering is indeterminate and occurs throughout the year. Quantity of flowers increases with increasing light intensity and duration. However, floriferousness may wane during hot summer days in temperate climates.

C. Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal and covered with 3 sepals plus rudimentary sepals fused into the under surface of the superior petal. A spur originates from the base of the inferior sepal. Spur is reddish and 5 cm long.

D. Flowers borne.--Singly, on red pedicels about 5 cm long.

E. Quantity of flowers.--One flower per leaf. Flowers occur progressively around the whorl of leaves so that tight buds to mature flowers are visible at the same time.

F. Petals.--Petals open nearly perpendicular to the pedicel so that the plane of the flower surface is nearly flat. 1. Number of petals: Five (5) petals, all overlapping. 2. Shape: All petals are heart-shaped. Superior petal has a broad base. Other petals have a pointed base. 3. Color: White with a non-uniform pink blush and a small red-purple eye. a. Upper surface: White with a pink blush. Red-purple base of petals near 63A. b. Under surface: Pinkish white. 4. Flower size: Up to 7 cm in diameter.

G. Reproductive organs.--Flowers are monoecious. 1. Stamens: Five (5), broad and fused to form a tube around the ovary; reddish in color. 2. Anther: Hooded and cream colored. 3. Pollen: Cream colored. 4. Stigma: Five pointed star, colorless. 5. Styles: Very short. 6. Ovary: 5-celled, 4-5 mm long until fertilized. Grows to 1 cm or longer after fertilization; green.

Resistance to disease: Good resistance to common stem and root diseases, Rhizoctonia and Pythium. Botrytis may be a problem in humid or mist propagation environments, but no greater than with other New Guinea impatiens cultivars.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                                    Improved Samoa                                                                              Samoa                                                  ______________________________________                                         Flower Color White/Pink Blush                                                                              White/Pink Blush                                   Plant Height 20 cm          25 cm                                              (above the pot)                                                                Plant Width  40 cm          46 cm                                              Weeks to flower                                                                             6 wks          7 wks                                              Flower Diameter                                                                             7 cm           6.5 cm                                             ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea impatiens named Improved Samoa, as illustrated and described. 